Every couple of weeks I say to myself I'm going to start narrowing down the number of spice blends I produce in order to try to focus my product line and direct my time and energy to the blends that seem to sell the best. And that is inevitably when I either sell a bunch of one of the blends that hadn't been moving in a while or someone asks me if I have ever thought about making a (fill in the blank) kind of blend. So here I am, about a year and a half into this little spice blend business of mine, with nearly 3 dozen blends available and several others currently in R&D. I just can't seem to help myself!
Now, most of my spice blends are either completely unique combinations of my own creation or my twists on classic spice blends, but this latest addition is a bit different, as it came about as kind of a challenge from a friend who asked me if I had ever tried the "Everything But the Elote" blend from Trader Joe's and asked if I thought I could recreate it. I have absolutely nothing against Trader Joe's, mind you. They are part of my regular grocery shopping routine, and I appreciate how they have managed to introduce so many Americans to so many new foods and flavors. Nor would I ever attempt to compete with Trader Joe's on scale or price. I am a one-woman show over here just doing my thing making delicious spice blends in small batches using intentionally sourced ingredients, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. But I decided to try to make my own (sugar- and dairy-free) version of their "Everything But the Elote" because (1) elote is delightful, and (2) I'm always up for a challenge.
For those unfamiliar with elote, it is an absolutely delicious Mexican street snack consisting of grilled corn slathered in a creamy mayo-crema combination that is then sprinkled with chile powder, lime juice, and crumbled cotija cheese. It is a messy, tangy, creamy, spicy bit of magic, and I absolutely love it. My Street Corn Sprinkle utilizes nutritional yeast to lend the creamy cheesy flavor; toasted masa harina for the grilled corn element and a bit of sweetness; paprika and California and Chipotle chiles for the smoky, spicy kick; dehydrated lime for tang; and coriander and cumin for depth of flavor and complexity, and I think it's kind of amazing. It's fantastic on everything from your morning eggs to your evening popcorn and pretty much everything in between.
Get yours today and let me know what you think!
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